DRB1: Modern retro collage and Cristiana Couciero

Modern Retro Collage is an art form that combines elements of traditional collage techniques with modern digital technologies. It is a creative way to express ideas and feelings using a variety of materials, from paper to fabric to photographs. The art form is gaining popularity in recent years among artists and designers and is being used to create a unique and visually appealing piece of art.

The modern retro collage style can be used to create a variety of art pieces. From wall paintings to sculptures, this type of art can be used to create a wide range of pieces. By combining elements of modern art with elements of classic art from the past, the artist can create a multicomponent piece that is sure to be admired. By using a different material (such as fabric, paper, and even found objects), also colours and textures designer can create remarkable and magnificent artwork.

Whether it is used to decorate a home, office, or art for a special occasion, modern retro collage even can be used to create a political context, making it a mode of powerful social commentary. 

One of the most popular modern retro collage artists nowadays is Christiana Couciero. Christiana is a Portuguese illustrator who lives in Lisbon. Her work has appeared in the New York Times & New York Magazine. Cristiana got her start early as a child tearing up magazines & gluing together different shapes & colours. Later she would evolve her work to the computer. In an interview with Hagi Trinh, she talked about process & gathering source material:

“I’ve been making collages for many years since I was a kid, really. Expressing myself through pieces of paper, old photos and finding stuff was always a joy. To reconstruct stories and new realities with scissor and glue is powerful for me. Professionally I started working only as an art director but spent my insomnia hours making collages. Night hours, gluing and cutting papers were a great mix which I started sharing in a blog. And that was the beginning of a beautiful and more serious relationship with illustration.”

Her source material comes from a variety of modern sources including old Blue Note record covers, Canadian logos, 1960s paperback books, Latvian magazines, Swiss posters, as well as work from the Bauhaus. You can see more of her work at her website or her blog, www.hueandsaturation.tumblr.com.

Christiana primarily focuses on paper collages, often utilizing vintage illustrations and photographs to create her pieces. With a keen eye for detail, she manages to capture the spirit of each piece of paper, giving her work an unmistakable vintage feel.

Her art has been praised for its unique style and creativity, and she continues to inspire other artists with her work. Her pieces are a great example of modern retro collage, and her work is sure to be enjoyed by art lovers everywhere.

• With thе first collage, I think she wants to hint at the risk of traveling on the soon-to-be-marketed planes. This also happened with the Boeing 787, which had a problem with its lithium-ion batteries, leading to a fire and an emergency landing. Fortunately, with no injured passengers and significant damage, it was stopped while the defects were rectified.

• The second design of hers that I chose is related to the political figure Rupert Murdoch and is related to the parliamentary report on the phone hacking scandal. Then they made him unfit to lead the United Kingdom. I like how she erased part of his face to show that there are people who don’t approve of his behaviour.

• Couceiro’s third design again sees the beauty of her own sense of grids, balance, mathematical formulas and typography. Black and white images with censored text on vibrant colour. Her style is fresh and feels and looks effortless.

• Her fourth design, again a combination of black and white images from the communist years. We have the buildings that were built at that time, the railway infrastructure and a photo of a hand showing a stop sign.